Forum: F-16 News

This is a discussion topic for the F-16.net news article: "Venezuelan F-16s could be sent to Cuba or China". You can read the full forum discussion in the F-16.net forum.

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Quote:

Venezuela's Chavez says may give US F-16 jets to Cuba, China

By Patrick Markey

CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said on Tuesday his government may give its U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets to Cuba or China and replace them with Chinese or Russian aircraft after accusing Washington of blocking purchases of U.S. military parts.

Any exchange of military hardware to those countries would break an agreement with the U.S. government on the transfer of technology without Washington's permission and further strain fraying ties between Venezuela and the United States.

A fierce critic of the Bush administration, Chavez has rattled Washington by strengthening ties with anti-U.S. states like Cuba and promoting his self-described socialist revolution as a counterweight to U.S. regional influence.

"If they don't comply with the contract ... we can do whatever we want with these aircraft, whatever the hell we want. Maybe we'll give 10 planes to Cuba or to China so they can study the technology," Chavez said.

"We could give them away and buy aircraft from China or from Russia. ... We don't need any U.S. imperialism," he said.

A U.S. defense official said there had been no communications with Venezuela's government about any sale of F-16s to other countries, but he noted that U.S. laws on foreign arms sales were "quite strict" regarding third-party transfers.

The United States does not trade with Cuba and keeps a tight rein on any technology transfers to China.

Israeli media reported last month that Washington had blocked a sale of technology to Venezuela to upgrade its F-16 fighters, which are made by Lockheed Martin Corp. and powered by engines made by General Electric Co. or Pratt and Whitney, a unit of United Technologies Corp.

U.S. officials have not confirmed the reports.

Chavez, a former army officer, made his statement during a ceremony to sign a contract with China to build a Venezuelan communications satellite and train Venezuelan specialists in China to manage the technology.

Venezuela, the world's No. 5 oil exporter and a key supplier to the U.S. market, was a traditional military ally to the United States. But relations deteriorated steadily after Chavez was elected in 1998.

Washington sold Venezuela 24 F-16 fighter aircraft in the 1980s when Caracas was seen as an ally against communist Cuba. It was unclear how many of the jets are operational now.

In constant tit-for-tat sniping, Chavez often accuses Washington of planning his assassination, while U.S. officials counter he has become a regional menace by using his oil revenues to finance anti-democratic groups in South America.

Venezuela still sells most of its crude oil to the U.S. market, but Chavez has moved to diversify economic partners by strengthening ties with countries like Russia, China, Iran and his South American neighbors.

In a sign of deteriorating relations, Chavez last year downgraded military ties with the United States by asking Washington to close down liaison offices at Venezuelan military bases.

Venezuela recently announced the purchase of automatic rifles and attack helicopters from Russia, naval vessels from Spain and military aircraft from Brazil in an effort to revamp its armed forces.

Quote:

"If they don't comply with the contract ... we can do whatever we want with these aircraft, whatever the hell we want. Maybe we'll give 10 planes to Cuba or to China so they can study the technology," Chavez said.

Since we are talking about an early production A models, I don't see any significant damage.

DeepSpace wrote:

Quote:

"If they don't comply with the contract ... we can do whatever we want with these aircraft, whatever the hell we want. Maybe we'll give 10 planes to Cuba or to China so they can study the technology," Chavez said.

Since we are talking about an early production A models, I don't see any significant damage.

yep, sad that china and whoever else still has to study US technology out of the 70s and 80s lol.

Wow. Thats just asking to have a few JDAMs arrive in the middle of the night to wreak the jets, if such a thing was to be a real deal.

As far as I care, Chavez can do what ever he wants. Just not that. Laughing

Last edited by ACSheva on Nov 03, 2005 - 01:38 AM; edited 1 time in total

Can they actually do this?

If they do, the Russians would be the first to ride in our jets, since they have the know how. He might just pull that off.

Shev

Last edited by TC on Nov 03, 2005 - 01:34 AM; edited 1 time in total

Those are Blk.15 A's and B's. There is nothing "advanced" about those jets. It is a design which is over 20 years old, and bears no semblance to the F-16s which we and Israel currently fly. Also, we aren't sending the support for those planes. They need ground support, or NO country will fly them.

I wouldn't worry too much over this. BTW, could you cite the news source please?

To Err is Human. To Forgive is NOT ACC Policy.

Was it true or just a rumor that China got their hands on a Pakistani F-16A for the development of the J-10?

Quote:

They need ground support, or NO country will fly them.

Didn't we train the Venezuelans how to supoort them, just like we train our other F-16 customers? I'm sure they know, after 19 years of using the jets.

What they REALLY need is parts, and if we don't give them to them, than somebody will. And the only country that has the brains for that are the Russians.

Good thing it's a BL15 model, but still I don't want the enemy knowing the weak points of the jet.

Shev

Parts. Ground support. Same difference. If you can't maintain the jet, it won't fly.

They really won't learn the weak points of "our jet." They'll learn the weak points of THEIR jets, as we don't operate Blk.15s.

Beers and MiGs were made to be pounded!

TC wrote:

Parts. Ground support. Same difference. If you can't maintain the jet, it won't fly.

They really won't learn the weak points of "our jet." They'll learn the weak points of THEIR jets, as we don't operate Blk.15s.

Beers and MiGs were made to be pounded!

Oh yes we do... We have 1 Unit that still flies Blk 15s... In fact, we have a Blk 15 CC on this board... Wink

Oh yes. The Happy Hooligans. I stand corrected. I believe they are presently scheduled for the BRAC. The Blk.15 is talked about becoming the next gen. drone in 3 years.

Personally, I'm not that worried about this. If it were that much a threat to our national security, the situation could be taken care of (i.e., Noriega).

Their jets are out-dated, an unsupported. They match none of the US, NATO, or Israeli jets. Even if the Chinese could analyze those planes, they wouldn't learn much, except maybe what one of our cockpit displays looked like back in 1983.

Oh GOD! They have a Blk.15 A model! I'd better hide my white Jordache parachute pants, my Jheri Curl activator, my BetaMax player, and my Lionel Richie "Can't Slow Down" 12" LP record! We can't let them have the latest stuff! Vote Reagan in '84!

FRANKIE SAYS: RELAX

elp wrote:

Wow. Thats just asking to have a few JDAMs arrive in the middle of the night to wreak the jets....

(Wince)...Could get messy. Hitting 'em on the ground would only bolster Chavez's gravitas in the minds a Central and South Americans. Plus it wouldn't look good if some poor innocent Venezuelans get schwacked in the process. Chavez has to actually order the transfer for a strike to be warranted.

I'd suggest two other options:

1) If they go by ship, seize the boat, repatriate the crew, then scuttle the cargo. Chavez would be in violation of the contract the second the boat leaves Venezuelan waters. Then pull a derelict cargo ship outta the Ghost Fleet and give it to Chavez (let HIM refurb it tho Twisted Evil

)

2) If they go by air, contact senior VAF leaders thru front and back channels and "convice" them to magically divert all the jets to a base in Florida or Puerto Rico after entering international airspace. Even have a tanker on standby for those needing gas. If a divert is not an option, arrange for a pre-determined bailout point and have a Navy ship on-station to pick up the pilots.

In both cases, only the hardware gets lost and nobody dies (except for possible ejection injuries). Chavez gets peeved but he's never happy about anything anyway, so who cares?

TC wrote:

Oh GOD! They have a Blk.15 A model! I'd better hide my white Jordache parachute pants, my Jheri Curl activator, my BetaMax player, and my Lionel Richie "Can't Slow Down" 12" LP record! We can't let them have the latest stuff! Vote Reagan in '84!

FRANKIE SAYS: RELAX

One of the best comments I've seen here in a long time... Laughing

Mike

MKopack wrote:

TC wrote:

Oh GOD! They have a Blk.15 A model! I'd better hide my white Jordache parachute pants, my Jheri Curl activator, my BetaMax player, and my Lionel Richie "Can't Slow Down" 12" LP record! We can't let them have the latest stuff! Vote Reagan in '84!

FRANKIE SAYS: RELAX

One of the best comments I've seen here in a long time... Laughing

Mike